Japan's Premier Baby Gear Brand - Aprica(R) - Now Available in the U.S.

ATLANTA, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Aprica® has spent more than 60 years building the premier baby brand in Japan with a simple mission: "Raise happy babies." Now this unique brand is available to parents in the United States.

Featuring simple, purposefully designed products, Aprica is ideal for parents looking to maintain an active lifestyle while sharing their world with baby. While having a baby changes things, it doesn't have to mean the end of lunch dates with friends, lazy afternoons in the park, or taking in the latest exhibit at the museum. Aprica products are built on a foundation of science paired with an artful sense of design to create products that function as well as they look, so parents can enjoy doing the things they did before baby, only now baby can come along. Every product is designed for the demands of real life –combining usability and minimalist design steeped in science and geared for mobility.

"Decades of research have shown us that babies and parents are happiest when babies are an active part of their parents' lives, which is why we designed Aprica products to make it easy for parents to get out and experience the world with their babies," said Andrew Bowman, director of research and development for Aprica. "Aprica will resonate with consumers seeking sleek, sophisticated design that will help them easily integrate baby into their lives without sacrificing style."

Aprica's initial offerings include cadence™, the agile, super-lightweight baby stroller and the Aprica side carrier, a hands-free hip carrier that maintains baby's proper hip alignment. Cadence has a unique encapsulated-hinge design as part of its folding mechanism and features a high seat position for easy lifting, 130-degree reclining seat, ergonomic handles and is self-standing when folded.  The presto™, the ultra-slim profile stroller with superior maneuverability, will be available mid-2010. Log on to www.aprica.com for full product specifications and interactive virtual test-drive.

About Aprica

From its first stroller in 1947, Aprica® has been helping parents all over the globe share their world with their babies. Launched in Japan by Mr. Kenzo Kassai, Aprica soon expanded to Italy, working first as a distributor for an Italian stroller manufacturer, then designing and manufacturing its own stroller. In 1980, the company introduced the original compact stroller and extended its reach to the global market. Aprica products can be found in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and now the United States.

Aprica products are available online at www.babiesrus.com and at exclusive specialty retailers in the New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco metro areas.

About Newell Rubbermaid

Newell Rubbermaid Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a global marketer of consumer and commercial products with sales of approximately $6 billion and a strong portfolio of brands, including Rubbermaid®, Sharpie®, Graco®, Calphalon®, Irwin®, Lenox®, Levolor®, Paper Mate®, Dymo®, Waterman®, Parker®, Goody®, Technical Concepts™, teutonia™ and Aprica®.

SOURCE Aprica